Billet turner



E. E. SMITH BILLET TURNER July 17, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 5. 1959 Aflarney INVENTOR EUGENE E. SMITH B, MfiW i it E. E. SMITH BILLET TURNER July 17, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 5. 1959 l/Vl/E/VTOR EUGENE E SMITH Attorney E. E. SMITH BILLET TURNER July 17, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 5, 1959 INVENTOR EUGE/VEE .SM/TH United States Patent Filed Feb. 5, 1959, Ser. No. 791,413 1 Claim. (Cl. 2141) This invention relates to a billet turner adapted to be incorporated in the roller table employed for conveying billets to a rolling mill. In certain respects the invention is an improvement on the apparatus of Patent No. 2,599,846.

An object of the invention is to provide a turner adapted to receive billets moving sidewise thereto, thus overcoming the limitations of such apparatus capable of receiving billets on endwise movement only thereof. These limitations include excessive length of the roller tables or objectionable crowding in the vicinity of the mill stand, in cases where the mill layout is such that the piece is transferred sidewise and its travel reversed between successive series of stands.

In a present preferred embodiment, my turner comprises a pair of spaced housings open at one side, having a tumbler rotatably mounted therebetween. The tumbler has a jaw open on one side and a slide block movable therein serving as a second jaw and cooperating with the tumbler jaw to grip a billet for turning. The tumbler is rotated through a limited angle by power means such as a fiuid-pressure cylinder and piston. A connection in the form of a lever pivoted to the piston rod of the cylinder and to the tumbler is effective to actuate the slide block before turning the tumbler in either direction.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description and explanation which refer to the accompanying drawings illustrating the present preferred embodiment. In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation with parts in section;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevation with parts in section along the plane of line IIIIII of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a vertical longitudinal section, showing the parts in an alternate position.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, a sub-base having spaced transoms 10a extends transversely of and is mounted on the spaced side rails 11 of a roller conveyor 12 composed of rollers journaled in the rails. A split base 13 is gibbed to ways 14 formed on transoms 10a, the halves of the base having keyed flanges 13a and being secured together by through bolts. Base 13 has lugs 15 depending between rails 10a. A fluid-pressure cylinder 16 positioned laterally of conveyor 12 has its piston rod pivoted to lugs 15 whereby the cylinder effects movement of base 13 along ways 14.

A housing 22 on each half of base 13 includes an upstanding post 23 and a cantilever beam 24 extending laterally therefrom. A tumbler 25 is mounted between the housings for rotation about an axis normalto the paper in the showings of FIGURES l and 4. The tumbler is generally of C-shape and has a jaw 27 open on the same side as the housings. Arouate ribs 28 on the sides of the tumbler fit in arcuate grooves 29 in the inner faces of the housings and these slide bearings permit rotary movement of the tumbler through about 90 from the position shown in FIGURE 1 to that shown in FIGURE 4. Base 10 is provided with an opening 30 between its ends to admit the lower portion of the tumbler.

The top of tumbler 25 has a vertical T-slot 31 therein which accommodates a slide block 32 fitting snugly therein. Block 32 cooperates with jaw 27 in clamping a billet B therebetween. In order to operate the block and tumbler, a fluid-pressure cylinder 33 is mounted on brackets ice 34 extending laterally from posts 23. A lever 35 pivoted A to the tumbler by a pin 36 has a rounded end 35a fitting in a notch 32a in block 32. The other end of the lever is pivoted to the piston rod of cylinder 33 and 37.

A guide plate 38 secured to the top of tumbler 25 determines the normal or retracted position of block 32 and the piston rod of cylinder 33. When a billet has moved sidewise partly across the rollers 12, cylinder 16 is energized to advance base 13 so that the tumbler jaw 27 embraces the billet. Next, operating fluid is admitted to the outer end of cylinder 33 and causes its piston rod to advance. The initial advance of the piston rod tilts lever 35 clockwise, causing block 32 to descend and clamp billet B against jaw 27. Thereafter continued advance of the piston rod causes rotation of the tumbler through an angle of i.e., until a-bumper plate 39 on the tumbler engages a stop block 40 on base 13, thus turning the billet through 90 about one of its corners, leaving the parts in the positions shown in FIGURE 4. Reverse operation of the piston rod of cylinder 33 first causes counterclockwise tilting of lever 35 until block 32 engagesplate 38, thereby withdrawing block 32 from clamping engagement with the billet. Thereafter, the tumbler is turned back to its original position. The billet is not disturbed during reverse rotation of the tumbler and may be advanced to the next mill stand as soon as it has been turned.

It will be evident that the turner of my invention has a marked advantage in being able to receive billets approaching sidewise, e.g., over skids connecting a roller table on the exit side of one mill stand with the roller table on the entrance side of the next stand. In addition, the structure is positive in operation yet simple and sturdy so maintenance is not a problem. The clamping action applied by the slide block on the billet is exerted auto-- matically by the power means which effects turning, and the release on reversal thereof, all as part of the same operation.

Although I have disclosed herein the preferred embodiment of my invention, I intend to cover as well any change or modification therein which may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

A billet turner comprising a base, a pair of housing spaced apart thereon, each housing including an upstanding post portion and a cantilever beam portion extending laterally therefrom, arcuate grooves in the adjacent faces of said housings, -a generally C-shaped tumbler having a. jaw formed therein open at one side, said tumbler being motor pivoted to the other end of said lever and mounted on said housings off center relative to the pivotal axis of said lever, whereby energization of said motor first causes angular movement of the lever and then rotation of said tumbler.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,516,205 Osgood Nov. 18, 1924 2,599,846 Kratzenberg June 10, 1952 2,627,109 Bock Feb. 3, 1953 2,772,766 .Kellam Dec. 4, 1956 2,931,256 Peterson -Apr. 5, 1960 

